Igniter for gas or gasolene engines



(No Model.)

M. O. GODDING. IGNITER FOR GAS 0R GASOLBNE ENGINES.

I Patented Oct. 12,1897. F/G.4.

R n w M & w m J/ n W a m 2 0 6 D .U K \u lllullll' I'll m L I w r J J L 4 v J i a a A W T WITNESSES QZM 23/9? Nrrnn Srn'rns MILON 0. GODDING, or MONROVlA, CALIFORNIA.

iGNlTER FOR GAS OR GASOLENE ENGINES,

SPECIJICA'ELQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,598, dated October 12, 1897.

Application filed February 3,1897 Serial No. 621,903. (Nomorleld To all whom it may concern.-

rovia, in the county of Los Angeles, State .of

California, have made certain new and useful Improvements inlgniters for Gas or Gasolene Engines, of which the following is a full, clear,

and exact description or specification, reference being had tothe annexed sheet of drawings and to the letters marked thereon.

, My invention, which relates to certain new and useful improvements in ignite'rs applicable to gas and gasol'ene engines, is anelectrical device for making and breaking an electrical circuit Within the operating-cylinder of a gas or gasolene engine, thereby producing at each breaking of the circuit the sparks necessary for igniting the mixture of air and gas or air and gasolene. The objects of my invention are as follows:

First. To enable asparlr or succession of sparks to be produced within the cylinder of a gas or gasolene engine by operating the apparatus by hand when star-tin g the engine into action.

Second. To enable the piston of a gas or gasolcne engine to. make and break an electrical circuit within the cylinder when at the termination of its inward stroke and in combination therewith to produce the compres sicn of a spiral spring, which so soon as the piston has commenced its outward stroke by the reaction of the said spring causes the electric circuit within the cylinder to be again made and broken, thereby insuring a second spark or series of sparks for igniting the explosive rnixture of air and gas or air and gasolene' in the event of the same not being ignited bythc'cont-actand breaking of the electric ozcircnit made by the inward stroke of the piston. v v

Zinird.v To prevent the turning round of the fixed igniting-points of the electrical circuit within the cylinder which makes and breaks contact with the closing and opening device operated by the piston and the reaction of the spring hereinbelorell, referred to. This object is eliected by forming a square portion on the stern or the rod vi hich carries the contact-pieces, the said square portion of which his iii-to a correspondingly square h'ole i n'the insulating stuihn g-box, whereby the electrical press the spring N.

circuit is passed through the metallic w.

of the cylinder of a gas or gasolene engine.

Upon the annexed sheet of drawings, Figu re 1 is artransverse section on theline a a, Fig.

3, showing the cylinder'and water-jacket of a gas or gasolene engine to which is applied my improved igniting device. Fig, 2 is an end elevation of the cylinder of such engine, showing the external parts of my igniting device in elevation. section of the same end of the cylinder and waterjacket of a gas or'gasolene engine, showing the piston therein and the igniting device constituting my present invention.

In the figures the cylinder is marked A and the casing B, which incloses the waterjackct C. Within the cylinder the piston D Operates after the manner of an ordinary gas or gasolene'engine, to which the connectingrod E is attached bythe pin F in. the usual manner, the outer end of the said connecting rodE being coupled to the crank-pin and the drivingrshaft of the engine.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that in the cover G of the engine a stuffing-box and gland ii and H, respectively, are lined, through which the rod 1 passes, having at its outer end stinger piece J and at its inner end a circular metallic disk K, preferably formed of steel. The outer end of the rod 1 passes through a hole in the guide L, attached to the outerend oithe cylinder G by bolts, as shown. Between the inner side of the guide L and the nut M upon the stem 1 a spiral spring N is situated, the nut being adjusted so as to coin- The tendency of the spring acting against the nut M is to force the red I inward and thereby to carry the disk K to the inner-side oi the contact-springs O, as shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, From the arrangement shown in these figures it Willbc seen that when the piston B moves in the direction of its inward stroke it comes in contact with the end of the stem l, thereby forcingthe said stem 1 and the disk K against the contactpiecesi), whereby in the first place contact of the disk ii with the springs O is effected, while the continued motion of the piston "B farther inward continues to force the disk K, thereby slightly bending the contact-springs 0;, the fiexurc of- Fig. 3 is a horizontalv .2 tenses which ultimately senses the 'eontsc.--

' '0 to breclt contact with the disk K, and thus produce an electric spark in theexplosive cylinder containing. the charge of mixed sir jg'snd gas or mixed air and gasoleue for driviug the piston B outward. So soon as the piston I is moved out of contact with the.-

inner end of the spindle l, by reason of the forward motion of the piston B, then the rero' action of the spiral springM pushes the disk "that although I have in theennexed draw- 1 ings shown but two contactpieces 0 four, six, or any other number of pairs of such contact-pieces may be used, thereby insuring the production'ef a. sufi'ciently great number of sparks within the explosive cylinder of the engine'whereby the chance of failure to ignite is reduced to a minimum.

.The spring electrical contcctpieces 0 are attached to the stems P, to which are shown attached coils of wire Q, whereby the some are connected to an electric'hattery or circult supplied from a dynamo.

0n referring to Fig. 3 i t will he seen that ogn the lower end of each. stem P e. square portion R is formed which his into n. correspond'ingly square hole in the lower end of the stufhng-box formed in the insulator S.

- This prevents the contact-piecesO from be- 4o ing turned round out of their proper working position, and the stems Pare respectively maintained tight in the insulating stuffing, box S by means of the glands? Having now described-the nature of my 5 said invention and the best system, mode, or

. manner I am at present acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I desire to observe in conclusion that hat consider to he novel and original, end therefore claim as the inventionto be secured to me by Letters Patent, is'ss follows:

1. The igniter for gas or gssolene enginescylinder; the said stem-being also provided consisting of a stem sliding and capable of being moved roundwithin a stuffing-box at the inner or rear end of the cylinder of a gas or gssolene engine, the said-stein being pro vided with a, disk on its inner end for making and breaking contact with. twoor more spring electrical contact-pieces within the 60 at its outer end with-a spiral spring for forcing it inward in order to mcke and break another electrical contact when the piston has commenced its outward stroke, the said stem 5 being also provided with a finger-piece at its outer end so thatv contact may be made and broken and sparks produced within the cylinder by. operating the igniting device by" hand at or when starting a gas or gesolen'e engine into operation all substantially. as. 7 1

hereinbefore described and shown upon the. annexed drawings. 4 v

2. The stem of the springelect-rical con teat-pieces constructed with a. square portion fitting into a, correspondingly square hole in the insulating stufiing-box constructed and operating substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a stuffing-box in= tlie, end or cylinder cover of it gas or gasolene engine, the stem movable within said stuff-18o ing-box,.the dislr'on'the inner portion of said stem, the spiral spring on the outer portion of said stem, the guidefor mainiainingthe spiral spring in its relation to said stem, the

finger-piece at the outer end of said stem, the stemscarrying the spring contact-pieces formed with a. square portion fitting the 1 square hole in the insulating stufiing-hox for receiving the said square portion of the spring-contect-piece stems, the connection of o the said contcct-piece-carrying stems with a battery or circuitoperated by a. dynamo, the, whole constitutingimy improved igniting device for gas or gasolene engines and operating in the manner substantially-as described 95, and shown upon the annexed drawings. In testimony whereoiLthesaid MILoN 0. GODDING, have hereunto set my hand,tl1is' '2d'dsy of January, A. D. 1897, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' .MILON O. GODDING. "Witnesses: EDWARD W. FORGY, v

. Gnonen A. PEAnsoNs, 

